distincie

Distincie is a noun used in Romanian to denote both the quality of being distinct or notable and, in many contexts, an official honor or decoration. The standard Romanian spelling is distincție; distincie is an unaccented variant that may appear in older texts or in non-Romanian contexts. Etymology traces the word to Latin distinctio, through French distinction, sharing its roots with the English word distinction.

In everyday language, distincție can refer to any quality that sets someone or something apart, such as talent, elegance, or skill. In ceremonial and civil life, distincție is commonly used to mean a formal recognition or decoration awarded by a state, municipality, or institution, such as a medal or order for merit. The expression a primi distincție means to receive such an honor.

In academic or cultural contexts, distincție can denote honors or special recognition conferred by universities, museums, or cultural bodies; phrases involving distincție appear in official bios or announcements to indicate merit or prestige. Distincție is also used in linguistics and philosophy to denote a difference or distinguishing feature between concepts, terms, or linguistic forms; for example, distincția între două concepte refers to the distinction between two concepts.

See also: distinction, distinct, distinguishing features.